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They Only Walked
Down along the fading towpaths,
Leading through the city grime,
A band of warriors fed an Empire,
Then vanished in the mists of time.
If you view these noble portals,
If you have some time to while,
Take a few steps on a journey,
That might end in a hundred mile.
Pry your craft from cobbled wharf side,
Lead the horse to take up slack,
Gently urge the gelding onwards,
Walk on, with all… and then walk back.
Straining muscles start the motion,
Straining till the pace is thine,
Easing then and striding forward,
Keeping tension on the line.
Man and barge horse walk together,
Man and barge horse walk as one,
Woman steers the boat behind them,
Woman steers and minds the son.
When you think of Empire glory,
Dance at balls in tux and gown,
Remember then the boatman’s story,
Ere the paths be overgrown.
No cenotaph for ancient boatmen,
No battle fought they walked is all,
No matter that they walked a lifetime,
In summer ,spring and chilling fall.
We watch them as they pass beneath us,
Into the morning countryside,
First horse and man and then the towrope,
Then fifteen tons will gently glide.
The morning mist hangs in the hedgerows,
The trees are ghostly on the rise,
First horse and man are thus enveloped,
Then boat and helm will too demise.
We gaze down on the murky water,
The ripples slowly to relent,
No hoof beats now to tell the story,
No monument for lifetime’ spent.
No monument for lifetime’s time...
Rupert
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